A Four Part Series
- Part 1 - June 6, 2006 - About Director Sadberry and
the SAO Security Report , Click Here
- Part 2 - June 7, 2006 - Are the TLC Employees Happy
Now? - Click Here
- Part 3 - June 15, 2006 - SAO Reports, About the Integrity
of our Games, Scratch Tickets, Plus Much More ... Click Here
Part 4 - In Memory of Mark Bradshaw - Click here

Read about the TLC employees ... Click here and read Oct 9th entry.
See and hear what our legislators were told about VLT's, Click Here.

Dec 29, 2007 - 11:15 AM - I know many of you think that I've ignored this page but the truth is that I've been posting things on separate pages instead of posting the news here. However, that being said, I have failed to tell you many things this past year and I do plan to bring you up to date. I get so frustrated and mad at the TLC and I know it's best to not write things when I'm that angry. So I've refrained! At any rate ...

Right now I want to cover the current story that's gone all over the US about Texas' unclaimed prizes. Lisa Sandberg, a reporter with the San Antonio Express News and the Houston Chronicle - was attempting to do a story about how much money had been left on the table by players who did NOT collect their prizes since the lottery began. As most of you know, I keep those figures posted on my web site, however, I had not brought it current for FY06 and FY07. Though it is now.

Anyway, in her story she reported the figure as $449 million since 1995 - she had to report this figure because this is what Bobby Heith, the Communications Director quoted her. According to her story, he said they did not track the monies until 1995. Well folks, this is NOT true.

What you need to know about this figure - $449M - is this is how much the TLC has transferred to the state of Texas - this is NOT how much was unclaimed since inception of the Texas Lottery.

You see, prior to May 1995, the Texas Lottery KEPT all unclaimed prize monies and they do know EXACTLY how much was unclaimed by players because they spent it! But Mr. Heith could not provide Ms. Sandberg with the unclaimed prize figures since inception in time for her story. Mr. Heith had days to come up with the figure she was really seeking but couldn't - or maybe I should say, wouldn't. The Texas Lottery likes to tell how much was transferred to the state of Texas.

Maybe they don't want to explain where the $177 million went that they kept between 1992 and May of 1995!

On a technical note, when reporters talk about the 5 unclaimed Lotto Texas jackpots totaling $46.4 million, this is really not the amount that was "unclaimed." Remember, the advertised amount represents how much one would collect IF they took annual pay for 25 years - the true amount that was shown for unclaimed prizes should be in the neighborhood of about $25 million from these 5 unclaimed Lotto Texas jackpot.

So, since inception of the Texas Lottery, this means that roughly $651 million was unclaimed just from scratch tickets and low tier prizes from the online games.

Also, there is NEVER a reason to let a Lotto Texas jackpot go unclaimed. This is because stores have surveillance videotapes that can be obtained the morning after the drawing was won and the TLC could post the winners photo. I asked about this back in 1995 and the TLC told me that the reason they didn't show the picture was because they feared legal repercussions should the winner be with someone other than their spouse. Like the no camera's in Las Vegas rule. Well folks, I think this is a bunch of baloney. Just in the last year, the California Lottery sought a winner and they did post his photo and he was one happy camper!

But here in Texas, they don't want to find the winners - this is because the state keeps the unclaimed prize monies. The truth is, this money belongs to the players and it should be returned to the players as it comes from the players share of sales. The Texas Legislature needs to re-think this law. The state of Texas has an incentive to increase the unclaimed prizes - and they do!

Changing subjects - yes, I will tell you about the allegation regarding kickbacks for referring winners to financial advisers. And yes, I'll bring you current on the Daily 4 game and the unfair wager currently being sold to players. I also have a few stories to tell you about folks who could not/have not collected their winnings - called Pending Claims. And yes, we still have employee problems at the TLC - it appears one employee got promoted that probably shouldn't have. Called unfair hiring practices involving falsifying an application and unfair scoring of applications. I plan to expose this and file a complaint with god only knows who ...

Bottom line, I have a huge list of issues to cover with ya'll and I'll try to get to it in January. Til then, I hope you all have a safe and Happy New Year.